Ingrowns.. and alum?

Shalini_bee · Newbie Joined: 21 Mar 2007 Posts: 1

Hi.. I wax very regularly, like every three weeks.. so anyway, I always, always get ingrowns and my legs have become ugly because of it.. for years, i didn't know i was getting ingrowns, i just thought it was acne. anyway, so i really wanna stop ingrown hairs before they even come out! I heard some guys use alum as an aftershave and it helps prevent ingrowns.. so I was wondering, would it be okay to use it after waxing?
I don't want to switch methods.. like shave or whatever.. my hair is thick and ugly and yeah.. it sucks. Don't want to make it thicker or anything.
Thanks.

my2cents · Site Admin Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 176

Ingrown hairs can occur in a few different ways. I'm not sure if any of these apply to you, but I thought I would try to help out anyway.

First, after waxing (or shaving), the hair may grow straight out of the hair follicle, but then loop back around and grow right back into it, resulting in an ingrown hair. It seems that naturally curly haired girls are more prone to this than if you have straight hair. But I guess it can happen either way. I have these occasionally, and my hair is not all that curly.

Second, ingrown hairs can occur in places that are prone to rubbing, or friction (from tight clothing for example). The follicle tends to get partially obstructed from the irritation and constant rubbing, and the hair ends up growing out at an angle, instead of straight out - and you get ingrown hairs. This happens most frequently on the inner thigh area, but can happen elsewhere as well.

Also, waxing improperly can also cause ingrown hairs.
Waxing is basically forcing the hair out of the follicles. And this in turn stimulates oil flow to the follicles. This can attract bacteria and a little pustule forms, trapping the hair shaft. When you get ingrown hairs, don't try to dig them out. That will cause an unsightly mess and they can get infected! Instead use an anti-bacterial wash to cleanse the area and to help prevent bacterial growth. There are also bump stoppers available which can help to draw the ingrown hair out in like 3-5 days or so. Just don't pick them out with tweezers!

Some ways to help prevent ingrown hairs? Well, after you wax, avoid wearing tight, restrictive clothing (tight pants, pantyhose, etc.) over the freshly waxed area for at least 48 hours.
Also, use a loofah on a regular basis. This will help to prevent the accumulation of dead skin forming over the follicle. But wait until the hair first starts to reappear after you wax. This may take a few days, or longer. After the first time, exfoliate three to five times a week, then daily in the week leading up to your next wax. But remember to do it gently! Over-exfoliation can inflame the follicle and put you right back where you began, with red, inflamed bumps that you may tend to pick at!
Seems the trick is to avoid getting them in the first place. In the meantime, treat them as I described, then you can take steps to help avoid them, or maybe reduce the amount of these things.
And one final thing: When waxing, remember to follow a few guidelines to help avoid the ingrowns. Like:
You want the hair to come out completely - root and all. You don't want it to break off. This can cause ingrown hairs. So, spread on a thin layer of wax, and apply it in the same direction of the hair growth. Then apply the strip in the same way - by rubbing in the same direction of the hair growth, leaving about a third for something to grab onto so you can pull the strip off.
Make sure that before you pull the strip off that you first pull the surrounding skin taut (sp?).
Finally, pull the strip back as close to the skin as possible, rather than pulling it out, or upward. By not pulling it straight back, the hairs tend to break off, and guess what? Ingrowns can appear.

Well, I hope this helps. If all else fails, shaving may be your answer!
Good luck. Any more questions, please feel free to ask. Just reply to this, and I will be glad to try and help you out!

Ingrowns.. and alum?

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